If Smith returns, who will make way?

Smith's inevitable reintroduction to the side will mean that someone else will drop out — but it won't be his replacement, Marnus Labuschagne.

Australia's first Test super-sub has excelled since replacing Smith in the middle of the Lord's Test, scoring 213 runs — the second most of anyone in the side — and averaging 71 from his three innings. Not bad for a substitute.

Khawaja has largely failed to make an impact with the bat in this tour and his fielding has left a little to be desired as well.

Averaging just 20.33 with a high score of 40 is likely not enough to save the Queensland number three from the axe.

Another player who could be looking over his shoulder, at the risk of committing regicide, is Paine.

Australia's captain is averaging just 12.83 this series.

With the captain seemingly washing his hands of DRS responsibilities — tongue in cheek or not — loud murmurs over his field placings in the concluding overs and another capable gloveman in the side averaging 26.16 with a century to his name, are Paine's days numbered?

Is it time to unleash Mitchell Starc?

Australia's bowling attack was firing on all cylinders in Leeds — despite being unable to claim all ten English wickets (albeit with some unwelcome assistance from Joel Wilson).

However, Yorkshire batting doyen Geoffrey Boycott said on Test Match Special that without Mitchell Starc, the Australians were missing something.

"Just his left arm quicks angling in could cause problems for the batsmen," Boycott said from the TMS commentary box as the Aussies probed at the defences of Stokes and Jonny Bairstow.

Starc appears to be on the outer at the moment with the selectors, but with such a plethora of fast bowling options, the selectors could opt to continue rotating through the rest of Australia's available bowling stocks instead.

The luxury of selection that Australia has in this area allows for some rest and rotation that England simply doesn't have after the injuries to Mark Wood and Ollie Stone.

The bad news is Joe Root has been rejuvenated

Joe Root was seriously under pressure coming into the Leeds clash and failed so comprehensively in the first innings debacle that it seemed as though his very place as captain would be called into question.

He responded by digging in and carving out a stomach-settling 205-ball 77 to inch his side closer to an unlikely victory.

Granted, he then gave his wicket away with an ill-advised charge down the ground towards Nathan Lyon, but to help save the match in front of his home supporters would doubtless fill him with confidence that he can dig in and make runs when they count.

From a batting perspective, things could get even worse for Australia.

David Warner burst back into a glimmer of form with a dogged 61 runs in the first innings in Leeds, what's to say that the previously disappointing Jason Roy doesn't feed off the ecstasy of Headingley by launching himself back into the form that helped England claim the World Cup just six weeks ago?

Should England's under-performing top order start to cash in and lay a platform for the devastating middle order to launch, Australia could be in trouble.